The present disclosure relates generally to non-destructive workpiece inspection and, more particularly, to methods and systems for automated inspection of a workpiece.
Production of a workpiece or assembly may require using multiple parts and tools. It is desirable to perform an accurate and reliable inspection of the assembly during and after construction to ensure production quality by identifying possible issues such as assembly errors, damage of a component in the assembly, and/or foreign object debris (FOD).
At least some known inspections of assemblies are performed manually. In such inspections, inspectors typically use visual and tactile inspections, in combination with personal knowledge, to compare the workpiece against a design model or chart. However, manual inspections generally require inspectors to visually inspect, touch, and feel the workpiece to detect differences between the assembly and the model. As such, manual inspections introduce possibilities of human error. For example, large assemblies such as aircraft, trains, automobile, and ships may include small objects in areas having limited accessibility and thus such areas may be difficult for inspectors to inspect. Moreover, manual inspections may be time-consuming and/or require costly, skilled labor. In some instances, inspectors may use a small optical inspection tool, such as a boroscope or X-ray technology, but such inspection methods still introduce a potential for human error as they require the inspectors to visually recognize differences between the workpiece and the model. Moreover, X-ray technology can only be used on a limited group of materials, as some materials are not visible using X-ray technology.
Other known inspection methods use automated image processing to perform inspections. During inspections, images of a workpiece are captured and analyzed using image processing, such that features within the images are compared to a library of standard features. Features may be identified using border fitting, color matching, and re-sizing of flexible objects. However, such inspection methods may still introduce inaccuracies when identifying small parts, and when inspecting objects of the same color. Moreover, the areas that may be inspected using such technologies may be limited.